


Wild West AU

by nightsisterkaris



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Guns, Horses, Not Really Character Death, Sunsets, Wild West AU, basic wild west stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 12:58:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18873652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightsisterkaris/pseuds/nightsisterkaris
Summary: Just slap on yer cowboy attire and a couple hats on Philinda, throw in a desert sunset and you'll be jolly well just fine.Note: There are purposeful misspellings and grammar mistakes in the dialogue to enunciate slang and accent.





	Wild West AU

**Author's Note:**

> Just slap on yer cowboy attire and a couple hats on Philinda, throw in a desert sunset and you'll be jolly well just fine.
> 
> Note: There are purposeful misspellings and grammar mistakes in the dialogue to enunciate slang and accent.

   It was the name  _Melinda May_ that sent cow-rustlers a' runnin'.

   It was the name  _Melinda May_  that made even the toughest cowboys cry for Ma.

   It was the name  _Melinda May_  that made Phil Coulson smile. Even with the saddle sores and sweaty nights, she could make him smile.

   Sitting at the small campfire, Phil listened to the locusts sing their nightly song and his horse snort, the flames crackled as they consumed the dry brush. There hadn't been enough rain lately. It seemed that a far-off coyote agreed with him as it howled into the night.

   Rubbing his hands together, Phil sighed, remembering the times all those years ago.

 

 

  _Melinda stood with a pose nothing short of confidence, her back still strait even through work on horses. Somehow she still had immaculate posture after all these years._

    _"Settlin' down now, Philly?" Nick Fury called. "Doesn't really seem like you or Melinda."_

    _"Found this old cabin, thought we'd give it a shot." Phil answered, watching Melinda inspect the walls, then go inside._

_"Nobody can tie down Melinda for long. Can't believe she's still here with you." Nick mussed._

_"She seen to much. Wants some peace and quiet." Phil told him, and they saw Melinda storm out of the cabin, a rattlesnake by the head in one hand, a corn snake in the other, and she flung the snakes with a strong swing. The little deadly reptiles were subdued to flying oh-so-_ un _graciously through the air._

_"Ya can't be a thief-hunter when ya got kids at home."  Nick referenced to the baby in Phil's arms._

_"No indeed." Phil and Melinda had found the child in a recently ransacked town while they were out on patrol. The babe had been barely alive and weakly sleeping in the cradle. Melinda had fallen in love with the tiny thing, and after a tearful nod to the ghost town and everyone who had died only the night before at the hand of the dreaded HYDRA gang, Phil and Melinda took the child with them, reporting the crimes to an old friend, Nick Fury, who was sheriff a couple towns away._

_"Even if the babe is not yer own, they need careful watchin' and dis-plin'in." Fury added. "Melinda ain't seem ta' be the motherin' type, but she always be full 'r surprises."_

_"At least while she ain't wrestlin' dem criminals to the justice reckonin'." Phil added. The babe swaddled in his arms stirred, one arm getting loose and waving in the air. "Wantin' Melinda back, ain't ya?" He smiled at the child._

_"Of course she is." Melinda herself appeared, smiling and taking the babe from him. She held the child before her. "Little one needs a name." She glanced up toward Phil, who was looking out over the desert prairie. Over the hill that the cabin was nestled on, flowers glowed in the sunset._

_"Daisy." He said. "Because she be as beautiful as the daisies on the hill."_

_"I like it."  Melinda nodded. "And so does Daisy. She be our 'lil gift from the sky."_

_"Alright. I'll leave you two to christen dat cabin." Fury smirked suggestively and shook his head as he swung back up into his saddle. "Giddy-up, Helicarrier."_

_"Why do ya still use that stupid name for that poor horse?" Melinda rolled her eyes._

_"Because it be a name that don't make no sense, like the int'lect of the animal itself. Good Ole Helicarrier got himself a weird personality." Fury turned the horse, leaving them behind._

_"You wanna help me with this wagon?" Phil laughed._

_"We'll do it together." Melinda smiled._

 

 

   Phil sighed again, turning his hat to cover his eyes, he leaned back against a rock and was soon asleep.

    ----- -:x:- -----

 

   When he woke again, the sun was staining the sky red and the light was just about to tip over the horizon. Hauling himself up, he saddled his horse and drank a tin of gritty coffee and ate a few biscuits as he rode the rest of the morning.

   Finally passing a particular section, he took the long way in order to avoid a particular charred cabin where the property was full of painful memories.  Eventually he made it to the house he was looking for. It was far from town, secluded, hidden behind a few rock spires.

   When he got close enough to see the home, he could already make out the figure on the porch, menacingly holding a shotgun. 

   "I ain't coming back to the business, Phil." She said as soon as he was close enough.

   "Daisy wasn't your fault." Phil sighed. How many times would he have to stress that  _it wasn't her fault?_

   "Except it be mine. Are we really gonna have that argument again?" She glared as Phil dismounted.

   "Melinda, We need you to come back." Phil said. "I need you back -at my side."

   "No."

   "Melinda. . ." Phil watched her dress spin as she turned around and marched inside, slamming the door behind her. Phil followed.

   The interior was cool and simple. Phil let his eyes adjust, and he saw the momentos. Melinda wasn't very nostalgic, but items from their old cabin were scattered around. Some still had fire marks. There was an old porcelain bowl on the table, a chip out of the rim. A trunk in the corner he knew to still hold Daisy's old belongings, dresses, and playthings. The quilt on the bed was burnt on the side.

   "I'm telling ya, Phil, I ain't coming back."

   "Dem HYDRA gangs are at it again. They're ransacking and burning villages and thieven'." Phil told her. 

   "I'm not gonna come with ya, Philly." Melinda folded her arms.

   "You gotta a nice setup here." He looked around the cabin, "Could ya have added a moat?" Phil pursed his lips, seeing the plethora of guns hanging on the walls.

    "Not after-" Melinda paused, her voice lowering. "Not after  _that_  night."

   "There be nothin' we coulda done to prevent the fire." Phil sighed.

    "Except that I spared that one woman, and HYDRA burned down our home." Melinda pressed her teeth together, putting her hands down to lean on the table.

    "I'll let you sleep on it." Phil turned, and went to march out the door. Melinda caught his arm. "You can't sleep outside." She said, then added at Phil's raised eyebrow, "Not when I have a bed."

   "But It be yours."

   "As if." Melinda shook her head. " _'My home is your home'_ , remember?" she whispered.

    -:x:- 

 

   He's moved in.

    Phil was guilty for abandoning his former mission, but falling (back in) love with Melinda was worth it.  The pain of their past a matter they didn't discuss. But waking up with Melinda was something that Phil would never lose the pleasure of.

   "Phillip Coulson!" Someone yelled outside the cabin.

   With a sigh, Phil recognized it. Slowly making the way to the door, he opened it even slower. "What?" He glared at Nick Fury.

    "I thought you went out here to get May! Not move in with 'er!"

    "She's not comin' back, and I'm ain't leaving her alone again. Not after lettin' her walk away." Phil crossed his arms.

    "I came for you. We need you back against HYDRA. We have intel on the next town they're planning to raid-"

   "No thank you. I've retired, and so you can leave right now." Phil prepared to close the door.

    "I have information on Daisy." Furt suddenly said.

   Phil's expression consequently hardened. "How.  _Dare._  You."

   "She-"

   "How dare you come at me with this. Daisy's de-" Phil choked. "She's . . ."

   "She never died." Fury said.

   "Fury, I don't know if I have to remind you that the fire burned down our home four years ago." Phil's hands clenched into fists.

   "You and Melinda were out on patrol, correct? You left Daisy with that nanny, Jiaying" Fury put his hand on the door to keep it open. "You thought they both died, but my men captured a HYDRA gang member, and interrogated him. It was all a cover."

   "Burning down Melinda and I's home wasn't cover for  _cowdung_." But Phil let him in anyway.

   "Listen, four years ago, and Daisy was eight, correct?"

   "Yes." Phil gritted his teeth.

   "She were kidnapped by a woman named Rosalind Price, who be allied with dem HYDRA gangs. Listen,  _Jiaying and HYDRA ha' got yer Daisy_."

   "No. That'd be impossible. Daisy-" Phil was interrupted by Melinda coming in. The two men went silent. 

   "What about Daisy?" Melinda harshly asked.

   "HYDRA has 'er." Fury didn't sugarcoat it.

   "No, they don't." Melinda shook her head.

   "You want proof? I've seen 'er. Daisy saw me too when I was scoutin' out the place. Melinda, she knew who I were. Daisy be in the HYDRA compound only a day's ride away."

     -:x:-

 

   "This it?" Melinda asked as they rode up over the mountain, looking down at the fortified town below. It hadn't taken much to convince Melinda to come with them to rescue Daisy.

    "Yup." Fury nodded.

   "We ain't gettin' anywhere near dis fort without a whole lotta men." Phil looked down on the plain. The fort had eyes everywhere. They could spot someone coming from any direction. He looked up to Melinda's hard stare. "Or a whole lotta women."

    "Well, good fir you, I done called my men. That be why I sent you to get Melinda, so dat we could all save Daisy with yer." Fury snorted.

    "You called your men?" Melinda squinted at them.

   "Yup." Fury then raised his hand and slapped the back of  _Helicarrier 2.0_ (Helicarrier the first's son), and he dashed down the slope. Like ants swarming an anthill, Horsemen almost seemed to melt out of the hills, joining Fury's ride.

   "Ready, Melinda?" Phil grinned.

   "Gimme a moment. . . " Melinda broke into a smile, something Phil hadn't seen in years. Melinda swung the rifle off her shoulder, and reached into her saddlebag, pulling out a couple Colt Walker Revolvers, handing them to Phil. "Backup," She told him.

    They rode down the hill full gallop together.

\----- -:x:- -----

 

   " _You_." Melinda held the woman at gunpoint. "You kidnapped my daughter and faked her death. After I spared your life, you burned my cabin down."

   "What?  _No_ , I was bringing Daisy to a more  _worthy mother_." Rosalind grinned. "Jaiying wanted a baby, I gave her one."

    "You  _stole_  my  _child_." Melinda growled, pressing the revolver tighter against her neck.

    "I needed an alliance. She wanted a kid in return."

    "I want my daughter back." Melinda started counting. "Rosalind, I'm warning you."

    "Never." Rosalind exhaled, sweat trickling down her face.

    "MA!" A twelve-year-old screamed. She was kicking and flailing in a woman's arms.  _Jiaying_. The girl was staring at Melinda, waving her arms and shouting.

    "Phil!" Melinda threw Rosalind at her partner, and took off after Jiaying, stampeding into the house the girl had been back dragged into.

   "Skye!  You calm yourself!" Jaiying said to the child.

   "MY. NAME. IS. DAISY!!!" The girl yelled back, and Melinda attacked Jiaying, pushing her down and knocking Jiaying out with one hard, hate-filled punch. Arms wrapped around Melinda's waist, and the two of them sank down to the ground together, hugging. "I knew you would come for me, Ma."

    "Oh, Daisy." Melinda ran her fingers around the edges of her daughter's twin braids. "How you've grown."

   "I'm twelve, Ma."

   "I know, baby, I know." Melinda shielded Daisy from the gunfire, which reminded her that they were still in the HYDRA fort.

    "Jaiying made me call her 'Ma', even though she wasn't my Ma." Daisy cried, her hands finding Melinda's. "Is Pa here?"

    "Yes," Melinda told her. "And uncle Fury too."

    "I saw him last month, a peekin' over da wall."

    "He told us you we alive, baby, oh my sweet child." Melinda said through the tears. Suddenly she realized that there was not more gunfire. Steps pounded into the house where Melinda had rescued Daisy.

   Fury himself was suddenly there. "You found 'er!" He seemed relieved.

   "Go get Phil! Daisy-" Melinda saw Fury's face immediately drop and his eyes sink.

    "Fury. What happened?" Melinda waited. No. No, no, no, no. no. no. N O .

    "He, uh, Phil, he ummm. . ." Fury just extended his hand. "Come with me. We won. HYDRA was defeated, but. . ."

   Melinda wrapped her arms around her daughter, Picking her up and Running out of the house and across the main courtyard and to the crowd of Fury's men. She set Daisy down and pushed through, seeing Phil laying on the ground. He was obviously in shock.

   "Philly!" Melinda crashed on her knees to the ground, her skirts taking most of the blunt. Her hand went to his face, a couple fingers tracing his neck until she found his pulse point. Thank God it was there.

   "This ain't no proper sight for a woman!" A man tried to pull her back, but another stopped him, telling the first of Melinda's identity.

    That's when Melinda saw his hand.

   Or lack thereof.

\----- -:x:- -----

 

    They were healing. After taking over the HYDRA fort, Fury's men stayed the night, and Melinda stayed with Daisy and Phil while he was treated. He had lost his hand in the process of saving the men around him,  and he was unconscious for several hours.

   A few days later, he was strong enough to be able to sit up on his horse, so Melinda saddled up the beasts, and Daisy rode in front of Melinda asleep on her mother's chest.

    "Ma, are we be goin' home?" Daisy asked.

    "Yes, Daisy." Melinda answered, leading her horse along the ridge. Phil's horse followed obediently behind. Phil's arm was wrapped in numbing herbs to ward away the pain.

    "Ma?"

    "Yes?"

    "Will Pa be okay?" Daisy asked.

    "Yes." Melinda nodded. She sighed with relief when she saw her cabin over the hill. "This is our new home, Daisy." She whispered, and explained about the fire four years ago. There was silence until Melinda asked her daughter, "Why did they call you  _'Skye'_?"

    "It was the first thing I said to them." Daisy told her, looking up. "I mentioned that you and Pa always used to call me your  _'Gift from the Sky'_ , so that be what they called me." Melinda nodded, and was happier, knowing that her daughter was safe. The cabin that was their home was getting closer every minute.

    "Ma?"

    "Yes?"

    "I missed ya." Daisy said, leaning back on Melinda.

   "We missed you too, Daisy." Phil rode up beside them, hat tipped down to protect his eyes from the lasting rays of sunset. 

   "There, We'll be home soon. Sleep now, my gift from the sky."


End file.
